RONIN - Central, Hong Kong

As I mentioned in the previous post: I came to Hong Kong to eat. As someone who hails from this great city, I can tell you with certainty that aside from eating, you won't be doing much else other than shopping and walking but I digress...I came to Hong Kong to eat, in particular at two very well known restaurants: Ho Lee Fook and Ronin. With Ho Lee Fook done and dusted, that only leaves my meal at RONIN which I highly, highly anticipated. Let me tell you the lengths I went to to secure my place: I made sure I locked down this dinner first thing when planning the itinerary and waited more than a year and 3 months till the day we could make a booking (they only take bookings two weeks ahead)...this was DEFINITELY happening. So, after returning from a wonderful, magical and unforgettable trip to Palawan, Philippines...I arrived back in HK with only one goal: to enjoy my meal at RONIN. My dear readers...let me tell you about the best meal I've had in my life (so far).

The Mrs and I aren't exactly nocturnal creatures (any more) so knowing that we wouldn't be exploring around Central after dinner, I opted for the earlier session. The Mrs knew I was taking her to RONIN but she didn't know much about the place at the time...I on the other hand, knew all about the place. I find it difficult to define what RONIN is but to put it simply, it's this quaint little Japanese style whisky bar that's hidden away at the end of On Wo Lane and is discreetly located behind this sliding door that's the same colour as the rest of the building. Slide open the door and you'll be welcomed into a dining area that seats about 14 people and more standing. If you're looking for an intimate dining experience...RONIN is the place for you. If not, their sibling restaurants Yardbird (which I've also been to) and Sundays Grocer offer a more casual affair

Service is attentive to a tee the moment you walk in the door and from an Australian's standpoint, you're really taken aback by how much the staff take care of you. Once seated, the Mrs and I quickly skim over the menu after we've ordered some drinks. The Mrs was feeling kinda (really) unwell so tea worked best for her. I felt much better than I did on my last day in the Philippines so I decided to celebrate with beer. For a comprehensive meal, the service staff suggested that we picked 3 or 4 items from the raw section, one or two from the smaller items and finish with a larger item and so, that's exactly what we did.

Shortly after we placed our order, the kitchen sent out our first small appetisers which were blanched leaves of some form of Chinese vegetable (it's one I always have at dinner but can never translate) and it's served in a nice, cold and crisp dashi stock and garnished with grated yuzu rind. Supremely appetising is the best and most apt description I can think of as each bite cleansed your palate and awakened your senses, allowing you to anticipate and look forward to the coming feast. I found myself thinking "if this small yet potent appetiser is any indication of how tonight is going to play out, I'm definitely going to be happy diner"...believe me, I was not wrong.

After that came our selection from the raw list. Being that the Mrs was feeling a bit crook, I opted to select less from the raw section and supplement by ordering more for later. Of the selections we made, the kanpachi and smoked mackerel came highly recommended. As suggested by the staff, we started with the simplest fish (the one on the bottom right) and worked counterclockwise to the top. Clean, fresh and delicate is how I would describe the first fish, being the only one served traditionally with soy sauce and fresh wasabi.Then came the lightly smoked mackerel with persimmon which was firmer, smokier (duh) but had a light and sweet aftertaste as well as a crunch factor from the slices of persimmon. And finally, the kanpachi...this was our server's favourite and for good reason: it's friggin amazing. Imagine this: the fish is so unbelievable good it melts in your mouth as you chew it and the sweet relish that sits on top elevates the savoury umami packed flavour as you swallow....un-friggin-believably good.

So, by this point: the Mrs had woken up a little from her illness and livened up to the meal. Next came our first smaller item: the insta-famous flower crab and uni. I could not come to RONIN and not order this...especially me, being the uni-fiend that I am. The Mrs was apprehensive to have this as she'd recently learned of the real purpose this orange blob served in the sea urchin...oh well, more for me! A pile of cold, sweet flower crab meat sits neatly on top of the top shell of the crab with 3 pieces of uni garnishing it all. Though simplistic in nature, each component is so fresh and so tasty that you can taste each individual layer merge as it combines in your mouth.

Next came the octopus and kagoshima beef which was grilled kushiyaki style and served with a bit of fresh wasabi. Although equally impressive, this was the dish that was a bit meh to me...the octopus was tender and flavoursome and the kagoshima beef was deeply rich and satisfying,...I personally think this one lost out texturally as the transition from tender yet chewy to melting-on-your-tongue and back really confused me...by themselves though each bit was epicly good.

The last of our smaller bites to come was this gratin of eggplant, yuba skin and pepper puree topped with shiso leaf. The Mrs had the first bite and as I looked into her face and saw no reaction, I quickly dove in to do my own assessment...ambushed. T'was great (the Mrs likes to hold back her reaction to sucker punch me with flavour). Thin slivers of soft yuba skin float around in this peppery, sweet puree mixed in with smokey bits of eggplant and given a fresh, minty and herbaceous kick by the shiso garnish...I could have this for dinner every night and not get sick of it.

By this point, the Mrs and I are equally stuffed but we despite being at capacity, our (my) anticipation for the coming dishes pushes our bellies forward. At this point, I'd like to highlight the fact that I didn't just gorge myself on unbelievably delicious food...I also got educated. RONIN has a very extensive whisky offering and you can't really come into such a well stocked establishment and not try some...it's our honeymoon right? I wasn't initially planning on drinking much whisky...my ignorance and perceived lack of appreciation meant I feared wasting it. Still, as we watched one the bar staff prepare an ice ball, I started explaining the purpose of the ice ball to the Mrs (from what I learnt from the anime Bartender and watching Anthony Bourdain cruise around Japan). I'd like to think that he heard me and decided to come over reinforce my understanding with his professional expertise. Some small talk and a bit of laughs later, I ended up omakase'ing drinks which is how I ended up with a highball and one of the best glasses of whisky I'd EVER had...I think it was the "Mars"...I think.

So back on topic: our "mains" so to speak...oh boy, where do I even begin. Well, I'll begin with the sea bream karaage that we ordered since it came first. Nuggets of golden fried sea bream meat sits on top of this delicately carved fish bone (that's also been fried)....this is all served with a bonito flavoured dipping sauce that's spiced with pickled jalapenos. Each piece of fried fish is so delicate yet meaty...and then you dip it into the sauce and it all changes as the bronze liquid coats the thin batter of the fish and you get this acidity that cuts through it all. Piece by piece, bone by bone...we demolish this dish until literally...nothing is left. I am normally really picky with my fish (I hate picking out pin bones so I avoid eating fish altogether) but this dish made me eat all the collars and bones. That's a testament to how good it is.

Now, I swing around the word "piece-de-resistance" a lot...I generally use it to describe the most impressive dish of the night...the crown jewel if you will. No where is it more true than at RONIN for this next dish: Kagoshima beef served with maitake mushrooms, egg yolk and sukiyaki sauce...seriously, I die. This is what RONIN is super well-known for and the fish I've waited years to experience and trust me, it did not disappoint. Rich, moreish and all manner of orgasmically good stuff goes into your mouth...you chew and savour and the joy just doesn't end. Each slice of raw beef is so marbled, tender and melty that by itself it'd be a delight. But alas, no...you're overwhelmed by layer after layer of decadence from the egg yolk to the earthy, meaty mushrooms to the aromatic and crispy garlic slices and then finished by that sweet, savoury, umami-packed sauce. oh...em...gee...mind-blown...can no longer maintain eloquence.

So, stuffed beyond measure and more impressed than imaginable. I leave RONIN a satisfied and happy man. With food blogging, the longer you leave a post without writing it, the more your memory of that meal fades as you forget the taste but as I sit here writing this, I'm amazed at how much impact this meal has left on me as I still vividly remember each dish and flavour I sampled...that, my friends, should be a true testament to how good they are.

I've said this on instagram and I'll say it again here: RONIN doesn't include the service charge meaning you tip based on how well you were served. If I had unlimited resources, I'd tip more than I did but if I didn't tip enough or if I offended, please forgive me as I really had no measure of what was appropriate. The guys and girls at RONIN were beyond fantastic and by every measure and every standard of the industry, they deserve all the attention and praise they get...bravo RONIN, bravo.